The Contract
by xxCinnamon-spicexx
Summary: Rinoa hated him. Good. So why didn't it feel as satisfying as he'd imagined? It was what he had wanted, wasn't it? AU
1. Prologue

Hiya. I do not own ff8 or any of its characters, I also do not own the story this is based on, my friend who wrote it for GCSE's however does.

x R & R, I'd really appreciate it, need to know where I'm going wrong x

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**Contracted Wife**

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Rinoa raised her long lashes to reveal chocolate brown eyes as she looked out across the grass towards the voice. Squall. The man she had fallen in love with a year ago when her mother, Julia Heartilly, married his father, Laguna Loire. The man her eighteen year old heart desperately hoped would fall in love with her, too. She always was romantic to a fault.

She had heard his car arrive, pulling up on the drive in front of her family's holiday home in Winhil. Squall would argue that point, of course. It was his family, his. Not hers. No matter how much she strived for his attention he never did seem to warm to her. She'd change that, she'd decided. This family holiday in fact.

She swallowed the nervousness that threatened to overcome; forcing herself to remain stretched out on the grass, soaking up the sun, rather than run and greet him much like a loveable dog. Squall, she had learnt quickly, was not a man you went running after, but instead waited for him to come to you – even if he was the love of your life and just looking at him had your stomach buzzing with wings and yours knees weak with longing.

He stood at the edge of the grass; his jacket slung across his shoulder. His highly polished shoes, a habit of his from his SeeD military days, in his other hand with his socks neatly tucked inside. The evidence of the rumour running through her family that he always drove barefoot. His blue checked, un-tucked shirt hung loosely from his chest, the hem covering the silver SeeD standard issue belt she knew to be holding his black trousers up.

His hair was long but not overly so, chestnut strands hung in front of his icy blue eyes but his hair wasn't the only thing that hid them from her now, they were also hidden by the black sunglasses that he wore; another remnant from his long drive.

She glanced up at the sun, it certainly was bright today.

The disapproving thrown on his face brought her attention away from his physique. He was not at all pleased at finding her sunbathing alone on their front lawn in a bikini top comprising of small scraps of yellow material and silver metal. At least her shorts were a little longer and less indecent than bikini bottoms would have been. If she was honest with herself, she had considered them, but, having sat out here in the deliberate attempt to catch Squall's attention as he arrived for the family reunion, she had found herself too self-conscious to bare herself that much in front of him.

Squall had a habit of either treating her as an irritating child, or completely ignoring her altogether. She so much wanted him to recognise her as a woman. A desirable one at that.

"I'm enjoying the sun, Squall, what does it look like I'm doing?" She smiled as she stretched languorously, arching her slender back. The movement forced her breasts forward; a calculated, tried and tested move. Her nipples were aroused from her nervousness, she wondered if he could see them through the yellow fabric.

"I can see that!" he snapped scathingly. "For Hyne's sake put some clothes on, will you?" He stepped onto the grass.

"I'm getting a tan, silly. I don't know about you Squall but I for one have extreme difficulty in doing so with clothes on. Besides there is no one here to see me." She glanced around the lawn pointedly.

The Loire family home stood surrounded by a generous portion of grounds within a high wrought iron fence. Sat up on a hill overlooking the village, it gave an impressive one hundred and eighty degree view of the countryside surrounding Winhil.

Squall was grateful that he had spotted her from his car, grateful that he's momentarily forgotten the sunglasses perched on his nose. He was thankful for the cover the dark lenses were currently giving him; they hid the emotion in his eyes as his gaze swept the length of Rinoa's slender but perfect body. He normally preferred ample women, but Rinoa...Rinoa was perfect. He could admit that, in the privacy of his head anyway.

Her skin was more red than tan. Although he preferred her milky skin he couldn't deny that the thought of her tanned skin glistening from a coat of sun cream in a few days time wasn't appealing.

She had a beautifully slender body without any blemishes that only the young possessed, one that was hard for any man to resist.

And Squall had had plenty of practice at doing _exactly _that since Rinoa burst into his life a year ago and making no effort to hide her infatuated interest in him.

An interest, at twenty-two years of age, he'd had no intention of satisfying.

Well, at least, he hadn't had any intention of satisfying until he'd stepped out of his car and saw her lying there…

"Anyone could have walked out here and –"

" 'Anyone' didn't, you did,"

She smiled, an attempt to appease him. "Besides, the women on Dollet's beaches won't be wearing anything more than this, less in fact.

That was true, Squall conceded. He knew from his travelling days with SeeD that the beaches on the Galbadian coast would be full of families at this time of the year, most of the women indecently dressed and no one batted an eye lid. But, he narrowed his eyes behind the dark lenses, none of them (presumably) were alone with the man they had shamelessly been throwing themselves at for the last year.

"Where are our –" He gritted his teeth, he loathed to call them `their' parents. "- your mother?" At least the presence of his father and Rinoa's mother would have eased the situation a little. Even if he still found Julia's role as his stepmother almost as irritating as having Rinoa as his step-sister, he knew from experience that the raven-haired beauty was meek with her mother around.

He avoided her as best he was able, which was a great deal of time for the most part. He was only intending this "Family holiday" because his father had begged. He had grown tired of picking up the phone to hear Laguna's voice on the other end.

"Laguna wanted to go into Deling; he's buying my mother something impressive for their anniversary. They should be back in an hour or so." Rinoa sat up, crossed legged and leaning forward slightly, looking up into his down – turned face. "They waited for you this morning but as usual you're never on time. You'd think, being a SeeD, you would be, but no. Family functions aren't on your priority list, are they?" She shrugged. "It's Selphie's day off too. So I said I'd wait for you."

Hyne! Not even the damn housekeeper was here to keep her on her best behaviour. Although, admittedly Rinoa had a somewhat questionable friendship with the help, maybe Selphie's being at the house wouldn't have changed anything.

"Oh, don't look so disapproving, Squall." Rinoa's smile dropped. Her eyes peered up at him, wide and uncertain. "It's just a bikini top. I'll go change if it bothers you that much! Seriously." She stood then, pulling at the hem of her shorts, tugging them the short distance that they actually reached down her thighs. "Why don't you go for a swim, cool down and relax a little." She said, generally concerned over his uptight and angry reaction even as she muttered under breath, "and get the stick out your arse."

Rinoa Kalyn Heartilly.

Daughter of Julia and the deceased Fury Caraway.

Apart from her long straight nose and mouth she had inherited her looks from her mother. From her milky pale skin to her glorious raven black hair that tumbled down to her mid-back, they would have been almost carbon copies were it not for her caramel highlights, streaking though her hair on either side of her head. Her skin was also redder than her mother's, at the moment at least.

The corner of Squall's mouth quirked, momentarily amused.

As far as Squall was concerned, her mother, who had been living in rented accommodation in Timber with her only daughter after the death of Caraway and had had to work as his father's cleaner and cook in the Loire enterprises art gallery in the town in order to support them both, had only married his father because he was a millionaire many times over and had even at one point in his life been offered the position of president of Esthar where they were originally from.

Julia's daughter, the beautifully stunning Rinoa, as far as Squall was concerned, had just calculatingly decided that he, Laguna's only son and heir since Ellone had passed away, would make an equally suitable husband for her. What woman wouldn't want a rich husband and free ride through life? Briefly he'd once over her child like naivety and manner but once she had cornered him at his bedroom door he'd quickly dismissed it as a facade, albeit a convincing one.

There was only one tiny problem with her line of thinking – Squall had no intention of _ever_ marrying again. He had tried that once, only to discover that Quistis was solely interested in the Loire money, too, or in his case the Leonhart money he having taken his mother's name after her death years ago. He thought that perhaps she had been interested in the semi-fame that his position as SeeD command brought him also. Quistis walked out after only a year of marriage and leaving their two-month-old daughter behind with Squall when she did.

Their divorce a few months later had been messy and unfortunately very public, resulting in Squall giving Quistis half of his own personal fortune in order to maintain custody of their baby daughter he knew Quistis had absolutely no interest in anyway.

And into that storm had walked Rinoa Heartilly with all her hopes of twisting her way into his bed, his life, his bank.

No, he'd hardened his heart after Quistis. He'd be a fool to fall for the same trick twice.

It was just such a shame that his widowed father obviously learnt nothing what so ever from Squall's experience. He had announced soon after the divorce that he intended both retiring as president of Loire's art galleries in favour of Squall and marrying the attractive forty-something year old widow also known as his maid - his maid for Hyne's sake – for the last year, bringing with her a seventeen-year-old daughter from a previous marriage to some Galbadian general or other.

Petite, with an enticing, natural grace of movement and a completely angelic smile, Rinoa, had taken one look at Squall and from that moment on had done everything in her power to make him acknowledge her presence, as a woman. Every damn time he visited his father in Timber and occasionally in Esthar. It felt like her chocolate eyes followed him everywhere; he was constantly under surveillance and it grated on his nerves. He always had been more self conscious than he lead people to believe.

But Squall's experience with Quistis – even if he did contemplate getting married again to give his now two year old daughter a mother, a mother both of them desperately needed her to have – meant that Rinoa, no matter how alluring would never have a chance in hell. One grasping gold-digger in the family was quite enough for Squall, and thankfully she'd disappeared off to Hyne knows where, never to be heard of again, if he was lucky.

However he had decided with another sweep of his eyes down her scantily clad body that Rinoa was without a doubt a beautiful girl. A gorgeous girl.

He dropped his jacket and shoes gently onto the lawn.

"I think I just might," he murmured thickly as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

"Oh," she said faintly, she watched him hesitantly as he finished unbuttoning his shirt and began to unbuckle his belt. She watched his shirt billowing out behind him slightly in the faint erratic breeze. The sound of the metal SeeD buckle hitting the grass brought her attention back to what he was doing. He stripped his shirt from his lightly tanned torso displaying the muscles he still had from his days as a SeeD, which ended nigh on two years ago when he joined his father in the Loire family business.

Unzipping his trousers he let them fall to the grass where he kicked them clear of his bare feet displaying long legs. And his black fitted boxers.

Rinoa blushed as she took in the light, small traces of hair on his chest, her eyes following the trail down his torso to where the hair thickened again just visible over the top of his boxers and her eyes widened as she saw the evidence of his arousal.

Squall wanted her!

Her!

Her?

Rinoa swallowed hard, slightly breathless as her gaze returned to the impassive planes of his face, his normal stormy eyes still hidden behind black lenses. A rock gave away more of its emotions and thoughts than Squall did, he looked so indifferent.

He stepped closer to, knowing that he had been lost the moment he had seen her from his car, knowing that he should have just walked up the path from the drive, that he shouldn't have walked out of his way over to here.

He surprised himself with how husky and deep his voice sounded as he asked, "Would you put some sun cream on my back?" He turned in front of her.

Her breathing erratic, she squeezed some of her sun cream into her shaking palm before touching his warm, broad shoulders. Enjoying the way his muscles tensed and flexed beneath her hands, she trailed her fingertips across his shoulder blade. He shifted away from her, his shoulders pushing back against her touch; an instinctive action that made her smile.

Her fingers slipped lower on his hot, velvety skin, spreading the cream across his whole back. Never, not once, did she think that her dreams would come true; that Squall would allow her to touch him in this way, in any way really.

The hard strength of him beneath her fingers made her tremble, a warmth between her thighs spreading as she felt the tension taut between them.

Squall turned unexpectedly. Her slick fingers slipping from their purchase on the small of his back and narrowly colliding with a part of his body she ached and yet dreaded to touch.

"Front." One word sentences, now this was the Squall she knew. She sighed mentally.

Rinoa's hands shook violently as she raised them to his chest, tentatively spreading the cool sun cream across his skin. She glanced up at his black lenses before hastily averting her eyes; she could feel his gaze burning into her, the glasses hiding his eyes making it all the more unbearable. Without really thinking she reached up, tugging his glasses away from him and dropped them onto the pile of his clothes. He narrowed his eyes at her, a tiny movement that had she not been staring she might not have noticed.

It didn't help. She could feel his assessing gaze wander over her. Her hands shaking more and more as it continued, unrelenting.

"Lower," he whispered, seductive and soft. She jumped at the sudden sound, only now realising she'd been continuously coating the same patch of skin.

He reached out one hand, gripping gently onto the outside of her thigh.

She could feel the warmth in her cheeks, her gaze avoiding his as she looked down at her hand moving over the un-tanned skin of his taut stomach, spreading the cream and thoroughly aware that were he to go sunbathing he would be as patchy as a cow.

"Lower, Rinoa," he urged a hint of impatience in his voice.

She shivered at the command in his voice. She'd desperately wanted to show Squall how mature she was, how she would be good for him and here she was hesitating and fumbling.

She reached out, her hand smoothing over his thigh beneath one boxer leg receiving a grunt of approval.

Her touch was driving him insane, Squall knew, the caressing fingers increased the need he had to make love to her.

But he knew he shouldn't…he wouldn't.

They had a couple of hours, Rinoa had said, and he intended on touching her as she had him.

He'd had enough of this game he was playing with, he couldn't take much more of her fingers caressing gently before he snapped and took her right there.

He pushed her fingers away. "You're burning," he murmured gruffly, taking the tube away from her.

Squall looked into her eyes, as his hand came into contact with the soft skin of her stomach. Rinoa's groan of pleasure caused a similar response within his own body.

She couldn't look away from his gaze, it caught and pinned her barely allowing her to blink. She was mesmerised by the pleasure he was evoking inside of her, stronger than any she had ever dreamed of. Just as it burned to an unbearable pitch Squall removed his hand, watching her.

"Lower?" he prompted her. Was she that transparent?

She could barely breathe; her admission a squeak.

He held her gaze again as he touched her, stepping in closer to her as his hand reached its target. Rinoa's thighs moved against him as he increased the rhythm of his caress, feeling her excitement increasing as she hurtled towards a pleasure she had never known before, arching against him as that heat spun out of control and wave after wave of sensation ripped through her whole body. Sobbing, her hands moved up as her fingers tangled in his silky chestnut hair, holding him against her as the waves became a crescendo of feelings that had her clinging to Squall in unashamed abandon.

She had never experienced anything like it in her life. None of her dreams had prepared her for the reality; never had she thought it was so uncontrolled. The response he enticed out of her was far from contrived.

A happy, giddiness washed over her, an exhausted smile beginning to tug at the corner of her mouth. He wanted her. Squall wanted her. He must have some feelings for her, maybe he loved –

"I think you should go get dressed." His tone was cold, derisive. Her head shot up from where it had leaned, tired, and drained against his shoulder. His eyes were no longer hot with desire but icy cold and disapproving. The gaze that moved over her lacked warmth and feeling, it was clinical and professional. "We wouldn't want to give my father a heart attack."

Rinoa blinked up at him. The uncertainty she had felt at his initial disapproval was nothing to the emotion plaguing her now. He had just caressed her in a way no one else ever had, he'd taken her to a climax she'd never dreamed of, there was an intimacy to the act that surely meant he had to feel something. Surely?

"I'm going for a swim."

What?

"What's the matter, Rinoa?" Squall looked down at her, his mouth twisted in contempt amusement. "Not satisfied yet?"

"Why are you being like this?" Rinoa sounded pained; tears were swimming in the chocolate depths of her eyes.

"Like what?" Squall replied tersely, he wasn't falling for those tears; Quistis had shed ones just like them every time she hadn't been able to get her own way during the total of three years that they were together. Crocodile tears: deceptive and false.

Rinoa blinked dazedly, "We just –"

"No, Rinoa, you just," he corrected. "You've been wanting me to touch you for the past year and now I have done so…" he shrugged, "…so what are you complaining about?"

She shook her head, "I don't understand…"

"Maybe you can now leave me alone?"

"But I thought-" she shook her head, "but I thought you and I-"

Squall's already waning patience ran dry. "Thought what? That you'd seduce me? That I'd then behave like my lovesick fool of a father? That I'd ask you to marry me? Think again. I'm not my father, I don't fall for money graspers." He cast his angry eyes aside then, muttering "twice," beneath his breath.

Rinoa stared up at him, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

She loved him. She had thought his response had meant he loved her in return. But just because he didn't, didn't mean he could humiliate her and succeed.

"Squall, you cannot seriously believe that my mother…she loves Laguna with all her heart!" she protested, wondering what that made her if Squall could believe that of her mother. "She wasn't after his money."

"Right." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "It's easy to love someone who's worth so much."

"But she really does!" Rinoa defended heatedly.

"Of course she does. Enough for her to accept him giving her three hundred thousand gil to pay off her debts before they were even married, anyway. A little excessive for a living allowance wouldn't you say?" he added scathingly.

"What?" Rinoa gasped standing up, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on, Rinoa," he sighed wearily, tiring of the whole thing. "Just accept that I know about the money and the debts, and let's move on, shall we?"

She had no clue as to what he was talking about, she was certain that there had to be some mistake. Squall got it wrong, that's all; he grasped the wrong end of a very long stick. Her mother would never… "You're just bitter, Squall. Everyone knows Quistis only married you for-" She broke off, realising she had gone too far when she saw Squall's face darken dangerously.

"Would you like to finish that sentence?"

She shook her head, saying gently, "Not all women are like Quistis, Squall."

"Aren't they?" Squall cut in harshly, "you've done nothing but throw yourself at me for the past year, haven't you?"

Her cheeks burned as heat flooded her face at his obvious contempt. She couldn't find her voice to tell him it was because she loved him not for what he was accusing her of.

Rinoa couldn't care less whether he was rich and living in mansions or barely earned enough to keep a roof over his head. She had a stepfather that could loan her some money were she ever in great need of help and that was the only purpose a rich husband served that a poorer husband couldn't. She didn't need nor particularly strive for a rich husband. He'd got her all wrong. She supposed she had Quistis to thank for that. Later she would wonder what would have happened had she met him first.

"I can't deny that I tried to seduce you, but I can deny it was for your reasons! And I don't believe you about Mum. Why would she even need three hundred thousand?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should ask her that." He shook his head. "I don't even know why my father married her, she's one expensive sh –"

The sharp sound of her palm hitting his cheek cut off his sentence. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Do that –"

"I hate you." She growled, furious. She didn't know before how quickly you could cross the line between love and hate but it was a very thin line indeed.

"Good."

He watched her storm off up the drive and into the house, determinedly not running but the swing of her arm and bounce of her heels said she wanted to.

So why didn't it feel as satisfying as he'd imagined?


	2. The Will

**The Will**

Five years later, as she gazed across the table in the lawyer's officer at Squall, Rinoa knew that she still hated him.

"If I could get straight on to the terms of Mr Loire's will…?" Cid Kramer prompted politely once they were all seated.

"Go ahead," Squall replied tersely, he obviously didn't want to be here.

He didn't want her here either, Rinoa knew, or his cousin Seifer, if the way the two of them had greeted each other was anything to go by. On that she could agree with Squall however, after what Seifer had done.

Although she knew that Squall wouldn't believe her were she to tell him, she really wished she wasn't there.

Given a choice she would rather Laguna hadn't died at all. She'd prefer him to be still alive, still giving her the fatherly love and advice that she had depended on since her mother's death a year prior.

Laguna was crushed when Julia was killed in a car accident, he never really recovered from the pain and shock and suffered a heart attack six months later, and then another more severe one a month ago, _that_ one had been fatal.

Given a choice she would rather have had both Laguna and her mother alive than being summoned to Cid's office for a meeting about his will. She supposed Squall and Seifer must have been wishing the same.

Rinoa and Squall hadn't spoken a word to each other since they had met outside the office, just as they hadn't spoken for the last five years, just like they wouldn't ever speak again now that their link through Laguna had been severed.

Cid's expression was grave as he opened the envelope in which the documents were kept, the documents he had read again and again to make sure he had read it right.

He glanced at them over the top of the papers as he placed his glasses onto his nose.

"First things first," he said slowly, "I have already informed by letter the recipients of small inheritances in Mr Loire's will, members of the household staff such as a Selphie Tilmilt and so forth."

Rinoa sighed quietly she missed Selphie. She was a good friend despite her always being busy with housework; she had good advice although it was generally limited to men.

"And there is, of course, a trust fund for his granddaughter Kara, to be administered by her father and myself until she reaches majority and will receive the bulk capital."

"Lucky old Kara," Seifer said cheerfully, an actor by profession, his constant fights over payment however often meaning that he was very often "resting" rather than actually working. "Pity she isn't eighteen rather than seven, then I could have married her."

"Over my dead body," Squall growled, his icy blue eyes burning with the heat of his anger.

"If necessary," Seifer smirked tauntingly.

Rinoa barely listened to the exchange; her earlier tension was rising unbearably as Cid continued.

She'd received no letter announcing that she had a small inheritance, did that mean she was to get a bigger one? If so Squall was going to like her even less, if it were possible.

Squall's eyes narrowed, "Is this a recent will of my father's"

"Indeed it is Mr Loire," Cid answered lightly.

"Leonhart" Squall corrected briskly.

"Mr Loire had it written up," the lawyer continued as if he hadn't noticed Squall's correction, "two months before his death."

Squall's own uneasiness increased, he figured it was probably something to do with the fact that Seifer, his disreputable cousin and a constant sponge on Laguna's good will and naivety until uncle and nephew fell out about three months ago, was also here.

As was Rinoa…

He had barely seen her these past five years, Rinoa having lived and trained as a chef in Balamb for three years after the… incident…in Winhil. And their paths had rarely crossed since she went back to Timber to live.

But whenever there had been a chance meeting he was very aware of the burning intensity of her dislike for him.

Those five years in which she was absent from his life had done nothing to lessen her beauty he noted as he looked at her through narrowed lids. In fact he would say she was more so. There was no youthful eagerness in her face and when she felt him watching her she sent him a challenging look.

Every silken inch of the body he remembered was hidden beneath black fitted trousers, and a blue blouse that emphasised the fullness of her breasts.

His mouth curled in self-derision as he abruptly turned away trying not to dwell on memories of what it was like to touch her.

Rinoa saw the expression on Squall's face and easily guessed at the cause of it, Squall still thought she was a money-grasping witch.

"Now," Cid coughed, bringing her attention back to him, "we come to the reason that I have called you all here today. Mr Loire was very specific about the conditions unto which you all must hold to inherit. He was also very specific that it were to be told to just you three. You may read the will yourselves after I am done, and I'm sure some of you would like to under the circumstances. To his two children Squall James Loire-"

"Leonhart" Squall murmured softly.

"- And Rinoa Kalyn Heartilly, Mr Loire leaves the bulk of his estate – er that is to say 50million gil at the time this will was made- "

"Will you marry me Rinoa?" Seifer cut in jokingly.

Rinoa didn't even qualify the question with an answer, Seifer knowing how she felt about him, the complete loathing and contempt she held for him since he tried to force himself on her three months ago. She didn't think she could speak to answer even had she wished to, she was too stunned.

"If I may continue?" Kramer said giving Seifer a disapproving stare, "All properties in Esthar and over seas is to be divided equally between the above named children, with the exception of all art galleries owned by the Loire family which are all to be given to Squall James Loire-"

Squall sighed quietly to himself.

"-At the end of six months, provided that Squall and Rinoa have lived together in Loire House for the duration of that time as…er husband and wife. These monies and mentioned properties, and all monies owing, will become forfeit to Mr Loire's nephew, Seifer John Almasy, if the above condition is not met – Did you say something, Miss Heartilly?" Cid asked kindly.

Had she groaned out loud? She hadn't meant to, if she had, she was aware that both Squall and Seifer were looking at her curiously too. "No, nothing" she assured quietly as she inwardly grimaced, knowing exactly what was meant by all monies owing.

Shortly after her mother's death and in a bid to put something else on her mind she got a bank loan with which she began planning to open her own restaurant. It was something she had always wanted to do and so she set about making it happen with enthusiasm. The builder she hired, however, ran way over the budget and refused to finish the work until she coughed up.

The restaurant had been doomed from that minute onwards or so she found out when a fire the day previous to her opening night caused her to hastily and far from inexpensively replace half of the kitchen's appliances. And as if that wasn't enough three months after the restaurant had first opened one of her waiters conned a customer out of ten thousand gil on his credit card and instead of taking the offered compensation the victim decided to sue the restaurant and very publicly.

Three months after the incident Rinoa had been forced to close down due to having no customers for her to cook for leaving her with a very large debt to the Dollet national bank and only a job as a supporting chef in a restaurant in the run down back streets of Timber to pay it with.

Laguna had jumped in eagerly and rescued her from financial disaster but only at her insistence that it was under a legal contract not unlike her one with the bank. She promised she would pay him back every last penny, Laguna disliked the idea of family being held under contract but Rinoa's stubbornness won through.

But the thought that plagued her mind and currently filled her with dread was that if she and Squall did not complete Laguna's requirements for them to inherit, if they did not live together as husband and wife, then she would owe that large sum of money to Seifer. A man she despised even more than she despised Squall, something she had never thought possible over the last five years.

She glanced across the table inconspicuously at Squall beneath her jet-black eyelashes. She could tell from his expression, if only slightly noticeable, on his handsome yet cold face that he had heard her pained groan and wondered at the reason for it. The emotion however was greatly overshadowed by the anger he now directed at her.

"Did you know about this?" he demanded coldly in a tone so commanding that she wouldn't dream of not answering. He had stood from his chair and was now restlessly pacing the length of the table.

Rinoa let her eyes narrow as anger welled up inside her, "I should have known you would have blamed me!" she snapped.

"Who else can I blame? My father is beyond blame, leaving you the only one to gain from this!" he growled through clenched teeth as he ran a hand distractedly through his hair.

How could his father do something like this, he never imagined he could be so destructive. He had ruined Squall's life. Squall sighed, maybe that was being a bit too melodramatic.

Rinoa stared at him, "You don't think I would ever _choose_ to marry you!?"

Squall continued his slow pacing, slowing the rate he was breathing he tried to regain some control, tried to reign in his anger as he remembered that they had an audience. Seifer was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed across his chest and a smirk on his face as he watched clearly enjoying himself.

Cid, however, looked deeply disturbed as he glanced at them over the top of his glasses worriedly.

And no, Squall found himself thinking, he didn't suppose Rinoa would ever want to marry him, ever choose to marry him. Not now at least. Perhaps five years ago before he had deliberately humiliated her.

Ah, but there was the key word: deliberately.

He had never been as immune to Rinoa as he had always made out. And her response to him had been mind-blowing, he had never known anything like it before or since but he was always very aware that Rinoa was Julia Heartilly's daughter, a woman who had taken money from his father before they were even married and it wasn't a small amount either.

Laguna had been so head over heels in love with his second wife, so blind to anything except for his love for Julia that he had been totally devastated when she died to the point that he had almost seemed to stop functioning.

Except, it would appear, to write this terrible clause in his will that tied Squall to Rinoa for six whole months, as her husband for Hyne's sake, he thought bitterly.

He turned to look at her again across the shiny surface of the table, "Oh come on Rinoa." He taunted, "We both know what lengths your willing to go to if the prize is great enough."

Rinoa felt an odd surge of cold fill her body, competing with the heat of her anger towards Squall. "You absolute bas-"

Squall laughed, "What, you couldn't think up anything more original over the last five years Rinoa?"

"Why bother when it fits you so well," she shot back.

"Oh dear," Cid's distressed voice cut into the argument just as Squall was about to reply. "It seems Mr Loire has made a terrible mistake. Cannot begin to imagine what he was thinking, putting you two together."

"You think," Squall muttered sarcastically under his breath

Then, in an attempt to lighten the mood, Cid continued, "You wouldn't happen to know if he wanted either of you dead, by any chance." When neither replied and continued to glare at the other, he sighed, "Mr Loire must not have known how you two regarded each other, it's the only possible explanation."

"Not at all," Squall assured the lawyer grimly, "My father was quite aware of the enmity between us."

He knew that his father, Laguna, had been very sad to witness the strained relationship between the two of them. Laguna had also advised Squall that it was past time that he should re-marry, past time that his now seven-year-old daughter, Kara, had a new mother. Squall had ignored him; he had no intention of ever following that piece of advice.

As he frowned down at the tabletop he thought that perhaps he should have, at least then Laguna wouldn't have felt the need to rectify the two situations by making this bizarre condition on his will. The worst part was that Laguna knew Squall would never forfeit any of his inheritance to his cousin Seifer no matter what he had to do.

Laguna, Squall reasoned, must have trusted on that particular trait in his son because he knew Seifer was irresponsible. There was no possible way that he would have made that condition on the will if he thought the inheritance would ever end up in Almasy's hands, for if it did Loire's would be finished within a year and the money squandered on needless stays in five star hotels and disgusting amounts of alcohol.

Squall shook his head, the money wasn't important, Seifer could have it for all he cared, he had enough money himself without needing any of his father's. The properties in Winhil, Timber, Esther and all the others scattered across the continents didn't matter to him either. The Loire art galleries did. He had put everything he had into those galleries over the last six years, he threw himself into the work after quitting SeeD in an effort to rid his mind of the bloodshed and violence and in doing so made the Loire business more successful than ever before. He refused to let his arrogant cousin just walk in and ruin it all.

But was it to the point that he would be willing to marry Rinoa? For six months? He'd have to live in close proximity to her, see her and he supposed talk to her day after day; she'd be his wife – something he promised himself never to have again.

…Was he willing to do that…?

"I honestly had no idea." Cid frowned glancing between the three of them. "I mean, I thought it was a strange condition but nothing I said would change his mind. He was determined that this…was what he wanted, I'm afraid."

Rinoa frowned; she couldn't make sense of any of it. Laguna.

She took a quick glance across the table; Squall was outwardly calm and appeared to be a little ashamed the outburst had happened at all. He was a man that liked to keep his emotions under control and if possible locked away where no one could see them. Only she and the prospect of marrying her had ever made him forget that cool reserve, in front of her at least.

"There must be some way out of this?" she asked the lawyer desperately.

"I'm afraid not Miss Heartilly." He grimaced slightly, "I drew Mr Loire's will up myself. There is no clause, no room for manoeuvre-"

"No two hundred gil when you pass go," Seifer put in dryly with a smirk, he was obviously still enjoying himself. But then, Rinoa reasoned, he would. Seifer enjoyed nothing more than disharmony and discord especially if he was the cause of it like three months ago. Which was the reason why the forfeit to Seifer didn't make much sense to her. Laguna had been furious when he found out; he refused to have him in the house right up to the day he died. Rinoa was positive he didn't want any of the inheritance to end up in his nephew's hands.

He, Laguna, had also been fully aware that Squall and herself hated each other. He'd hated it; there was nothing in the world that he wanted more than a big happy family. But did he really want it enough that he would force them into marriage even after he died? It was a poor move if that was truly his goal, Rinoa thought, this forced marriage was more likely to intensify their dislike more than nullify it.

"What's the matter Rinoa?" Squall, who had retaken his seat and was leaning back with his arms crossed, taunted softly, "Marrying me not part of your plans anymore?"

Rinoa frowned down at the table. It had never been the plan he was implying it was. True, she had planned to marry him but that was because she had fallen in love with him six years ago and that day five years ago…she had thought he loved her too. A futile hope. "No more than marriage to me has ever been in yours!"

"Not at all then," he said indifferently.

"Isn't this fun," Seifer smirked, "Of course," he leaned forward, "you could just save yourselves all the trouble of even trying to live together – we all know you wont be able to do it – and it all over to me."

"Mr Loire," Squall didn't even bother even to sigh this time as the lawyer once again used the surname he had ditched a good few years before, "and Miss Heartilly have a week to put in their decision," the lawyers firm words were directed entirely towards Seifer who shrugged, "I think I could easily wait a week," completely indifferent to the animosity towards him from the other parties in the room.

"There is one other thing I think I ought to mention before you make your decisions," Mr Kramer continued after obviously deciding to ignore Seifer from then on.

"Let's here it," Squall muttered wearily hoping that it wouldn't be anything too bad, he didn't think he could take much more.

"As previously stated the Loire art galleries will become the sole property of Mr Loire here. The restaurants housed within said properties however will be passed on to Miss Heartilly, if said Mr Loire agrees that the trial restaurant run under Miss Heartilly, then named Mrs Loire, is successful. This trial restaurant will be in place of Ruby Café which is in…hang on let me find it-"

"Esthar." Squall supplied quietly. Of course it was Esthar, that was where headquarters were and where Squall lived most of the time.

"-In place of Ruby Café which is in the Esthar gallery."

Squall shook his head trying to rid himself of the growing dread. " So basically father not only wants me to marry her and live with her for six months but work with her too. Forever." He spoke with icy control, determined not to give way a second time to the fury he felt, although he could feel the pulsing of a nerve in his tightly clenched jaw.

"That is so, yes." The lawyer replied calmly mistaking Squall's icy calm for acceptance.

"Could I just point out that he expects me to work and live with you, too?" Rinoa snapped back in obvious agitation.

She hadn't expected the clause either, Squall acknowledged, she had probably thought she could just walk away with her share. He certainly hadn't missed her reaction to "all monies owing". Surely his father hadn't been stupid enough to lend money to Rinoa? He must have known it would never have been repaid even if he had?

Squall looked across at her with cold icy blue eyes, completely unmoved by the pallor in her cheeks. His voice was monotonous as he spoke slowly, "I already own Loire's, already own my own home, already have a fortune – which of us stands to gain more here, do you think?"

"See?" Seifer crossed his arms on the tabletop, "not a hope in hell that you two could live together for six months without one of you committing murder! Then again if that meant I'd still inherit feel free-"

"I really don't think these type of comments are helping the situation at all Mr Almasy," the lawyer rebuked obviously having reached the end of his patience, "I suggest we meet again at this time in precisely one week Mr Loire, Miss Heartilly. You will be able to give me your decisions then. Your presence will not be needed at that time Mr Almasy." Cid finished with a disapproving glance to the man sat at the opposite end of the long table.

"There is nothing more we should know? No more hidden clauses or conditions that we are presently unaware of?" Squall asked in a slightly accusing tone.

Cid met his gaze levelly and after a brief hesitation answered evenly, "No, there is nothing else in Mr Loire's will that concerns any of you."

Seifer stood up to leave, "How 'bout the three of us go out to lunch to talk about this?"

Squall glanced over at him. It appeared the smirk was permanently attached to his face. "I don't think so. I have to go to work soon and there are obviously things Rinoa and me need to discuss that, as Mr Kramer has already pointed out, do not concern you." He said sharply, taking a steely hold of Rinoa's arm as he spoke.

Rinoa frowned, she found the thought of lunch with Seifer unappealing but going any where with Squall was almost as bad. She tried to snatch her arm out of his hold and, much to her chagrin, failed.

"Fair enough, just let me know when you two decide not to get married."

Married.

The word resounded in her head.

To Squall.

Just putting the words "married" and "to Squall" together into a complete sentence put shivers down her spine. She would have once been overjoyed with the prospect of being his wife but that was before she had learnt to hate him, before she had realised just how much he hated her. Seifer was right; she didn't see how they would successfully live together as husband and wife for six months.

How would she cope being Squall's wife!?


	3. The Decision

**A.N **Sorry for such a long break, wow almost a year!!. I've had a busy year at uni and one thing distracted me after another. I've also given birth to my beautiful daughter, but now I'm back and hopefully I can focus on this story. Its not that long a story so it shouldn't take too long, but I'm not promising anything so don't quote me xD.

**The Decsion**

Squall was aware of Rinoa's efforts to shake off his hold on her arm as they left Cid Kramer's office and tightened his grip. They needed to talk. Today. Now.

"Goodbye, Seifer," he murmured pointedly dismissing him once they had all reached the street.

"Don't call us we'll call you?" Seifer taunted.

Squall's jaw tightened. He and Seifer had never really gotten along, most of the time they left each other be. Laguna had only tolerated him because he was his only sister's son. A tolerance that had come to an abrupt end three months ago, Squall wondered about that. What could his cousin possibly have done for Laguna to give up on him? He'd done some pretty bad things in the past not least of all almost ruining the Loire reputation.

"I wouldn't hold your breath," Squall advised dryly.

Seifer smirked, "Oh I will hear it from you or from Kramer, I don't mind which," He shrugged and a confident grin appeared on his face, "The result would be the same."

Rinoa, with a disgusted expression, said, "Did it ever occur to you, Almasy, that we both might dislike you more than we dislike each other?"

Seifer glanced from her to Squall before, with the permanent smirk still in place, slowly answered, "No." His smile was mocking as he added, " afraid that's not possible."

It was a smile that Rinoa would have dearly loved to slap off of his good-looking face. "Then if I were you I would start thinking about it."

He snorted, "Even if you two do this fake marriage thing it'll never last."

"It's only six months, I'm sure I can manage!"

Seifer shook his head in mock pity; " I don't think you two could stand two hours in the same house let alone six months."

"We could," Rinoa said knowing full well she was lying through her teeth.

"Some how I doubt it," his tone was bored as he turned to face Squall again. "See ya Squall, Rinoa." And with one last smirk he strolled off down the street to the near by car park.

"I always had the impression you two liked each other," Squall said softly, watching his cousin getting further and further away.

Rinoa would have forgotten he was there if it weren't for his tight grip on her wrist. Her hand was cold from the limited supply of blood it was getting. "Impressions can sometimes be deceptive."

Squall knew what she was getting at and told himself firmly that that was not the case with the woman in front of him. She was her mother's daughter, and he had better not forget that.

"So is it true that you dislike Seifer more than you dislike me?" he asked mockingly.

"Oh, yes!" She nodded vehemently.

Squall frowned. That really was never the impression he had gotten from the two of them. Rinoa and Seifer seemed to group together whenever there was any type of family function in the past. What in Hyne's name had happened?

"We need to talk." He said, firmly placing his thoughts onto the task at hand. "My car is parked-"

"I'm not going any where with you," she protested instantly, backing a few steps away from him and forcing Squall to let go of her.

He frowned frustrated, "You know, Rinoa, that if we carry on like this Seifer will be right, we might as well hand everything over to him! Now if you hate him as much as you say you do then we're going to talk."

Rinoa's eyes widened. He couldn't possibly be thinking of actually going through with this? He wasn't serious? Marrying her? Only with a gun held to his head, she conceded ruefully. Which was pretty much what Laguna was doing. Who had ever heard of shotgun wedding with two shotguns?

"What's so funny?" Squall snapped, obviously having seen her amused smile.

"Nothing," She shook her head, "But I can't see how talking is going to make a difference, it wont change the fact that we hate each other."

"Surely that depends on how we talk?"

Rinoa narrowed her eyes. The last five years had etched the lines on his face deeper, harder. His muscles were leaner than they had been due to the amount of time that had passed since he was a member of SeeD. However Squall was still the most handsomest man she had ever met. Nerve-tinglingly so, she could still feel his hand on her arm. She had thought that her attraction to him had diminished over the years but apparently it was still there and burning strong.

Squall met her startled gaze, knowing as he did so that he remembered everything about touching her so intimately five years ago. He remembered the feel of her slender hands as she had caressed him…

He had been lost the moment he had touched her slender curves, unable to stop touching her until he had taken her over the edge of pleasure, watching her as he did so. The heat of his body longing for that same release. He denied it, knowing that he couldn't – daren't- lose himself in her. To do so would be to enter a madness he wouldn't be able to withdraw from.

"If you're suggesting what I think you are, forget it!" Rinoa glared up at him, her cheeks suffused with colour.

He shook his head, "We need to talk. Perhaps even come to a compromise."

"Compromise?" she repeated warily.

Compromise…it was necessary that they reach one or they would both loose everything to his bastard cousin. He was willing to bet that Rinoa wouldn't loose over twenty five million gil just because she didn't want to marry him.

"I think you're going to have to come with me to Loire's, Rinoa, because I really don't want to continue this conversation on a public street." He said as he watched a couple sidestep them on their way down the street.

Rinoa frowned, why did he want to take her back to Loire's? She hadn't been to Esther's art gallery, or any Loire gallery for that matter, for five years knowing full well that Squall's office was on the 4th floor and that he could often be seen wandering around to make sure everything was in order. She hadn't wanted to risk bumping into him.

"I have something I want to show you. I think you might be impressed." He continued.

"I wasn't last time," she replied tartly, twisting his words.

"No?" he asked mockingly, _that's not the way I remember it._

"It's called selective memory I believe."

"Oh? And which one of us is being selective then?"

Rinoa frowned; she knew she should never argue with him. She knew she would never win; he was just too in control to be beaten.

He sighed as he lost his patience, "I actually thought you would like to see what is to become Heartilly's." he said harshly as he thought of how, with Rinoa working just a few floors down from him, the nice working environment at Loire's would be destroyed.

"You're seriously considering this aren't you?" she asked stunned, finally letting him lead her across the road to his car.

"Aren't you?" he asked derisively as he pulled out onto the road and began the short drive to Loire's.

Her immediate answer was no.

A more considered answer was maybe for if there was one thing more unacceptable than marrying Squall, it was owing money to Seifer. Knowing him he would ask for a method of repayment that was completely unacceptable to her.

She knew that being married to Squall even for such a small amount of time was nothing short of a nightmare. But at least that nightmare would have an end, being in debt to Seifer wouldn't.

"I'm thinking about it," she admitted at last.

_Thought you might, _he thought bitterly.

"Not for the reason you're thinking!" she snapped immediately.

"No?"

Rinoa sat back in her seat; there was no point in even trying to defend herself. Besides Squall seemed to enjoy thinking the worst of her, the happiest he was the better everything would be for her she reasoned.

"You don't need me to tell you how well you run this place." Rinoa said as they crossed the marble floor of the entrance hall, making their way to the lift.

Squall eyed her curiously, "I was always surprised by your own choice of career…"

"Why?" Rinoa frowned.

"A restaurant within Loire's will only be open for as long as the gallery is obviously but usually restaurant work requires working long, unsociable hours."

Rinoa's frown deepened, "Your point being?"

Squall frowned down at the floor, his point being that such a career choice seemed like such hard work for someone that was just after a rich husband…

Maybe she really had thought that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach?

Well Squall could have corrected her there. Most of the time a man's decisions were governed by another part of his anatomy altogether.

Whatever. If they actually went through with this Rinoa would no longer need a husband after 6 months, rich or otherwise.

"You'll have to cook a meal for me sometime." He said dryly.

"Oh?" Rinoa answered impatiently, "I would be sorely tempted to add arsenic to it."

"Oh I'd make you eat some first." Squall assured her as they stepped out of the lift and onto the 2nd floor.

Rinoa laughed. It was completely instinctive, she couldn't have held it back if she had tried.

It lit up her face and Squall found himself staring down at her. Her smile was bright and fascinating, she truly was beautiful.

Rinoa felt her smile falter as she registered the way Squall was looking at her. It was a strange look, almost as though it was _her _that he wanted to eat. No, she had to have imagined it, for in the next blink his face was hard and full of its usual cynicism.

"Squall, what -?" She stopped suddenly as she looked around the floor they had just arrived at with wide eyes. The ruby café that was going to be hers to turn into Heartilly's if she married Squall for 6 months. Was it worth it? She thought as she looked round at the closed café, over the large amounts of space and envisioned how it might look. Yes, she had to say whole-heartedly that this was worth anything.

"Let's go up to my office. We can finish discussing this." Squall said turning back to the lift, motioning for her to follow.

Rinoa turned to look at him, confused. Finish? She followed him into the lift.

She was familiar with the offices up on the top floor having visited her mother in the Timber offices and Laguna is the ones here in Esthar. It felt like a lifetime ago and she supposed it was what with both her mother and Laguna dead and only Squall left around to torment her.

She didn't recognise the secretary behind the desk. Tall, blonde and slim. She smiled warmly at Squall when she saw them walk through the door and held open the door to his office for them. He nodded politely and ushered Rinoa, who was looking at him speculatively, in.

"I would never make the same mistake as my father." He said coldly as he shut the door behind them.

Never fall in love with his secretary, certainly never marry her. She knew that was what he had meant.

"They were happy together, Squall," Rinoa insisted gently, "couldn't you see that? Feel it when you were with them?"

Yes, he had seen hoe happy his dad had been with Julia and he admitted that her death was probably what killed him but he believed that he'd been blinded by love and failed to see what Julia was really after.

Julia had always tried to be friends with Squall but he'd resisted, more for his sake than anything. Julia and Rinoa had always been close. If he lowered his guard toward Julia then he would have been lowering his guard to her daughter too and that was something he really didn't want to do.

"Did you ever take my advice?" He inquired softly.

Rinoa frowned, puzzled at the sudden change of topic and not quite sure what he was on about.

Squall rolled his eyes, "Did you ever ask your mother about the money my father gave her before they married?"

Rinoa froze at the taunt. He did it deliberately, he intended to hurt her, she knew.

She pulled her head up high, "Yes. What of it?"

"And?"

She shook her head, she refused to tell him. She had promised her mother not to tell anyone. Laguna had known of course, he'd helped pay off the debts acquired through her late husbands gambling and drinking, debts left for a mother and a small daughter to pay off.

"And it's none of your damn business!" she yelled back, she'd had enough of his attitude.

"Right." He accepted coldly. "And how much did you owe my father when he died, Rinoa?" He took several, threatening, slow steps towards her. "More or less than what he gave your mother?"

Rinoa felt the colour drain from her face. So he hadn't missed it then? That small groan of misery that had given her away. "Less," she looked away, "much less."

Squall narrowed his eyes. Until that moment he had wished, really wished, he was wrong about Rinoa borrowing money off of their – his – father. At least it would have been something to know that Rinoa hadn't used his father in the same way as her mother had.

He snorted, he should have known better. "And are you going to tell me why you now hate Seifer more than me?"

No she wasn't. Obviously Laguna had known about Seifer's unprovoked sexual attack on Rinoa and had changed his will accordingly but that didn't mean Squall had to know about it too.

"Impossible to believe isn't it?" she deflected.

"Hmm," he smiled humourlessly, "almost as impossible as when you once said you didn't want me or my father for our money."

Rinoa sighed forlornly, "This is never going to work, is it?"

"Not necessarily," he said moving round his desk to sit down, passing uncomfortably close to Rinoa, before he gave into the urge to strangle her. "It is at least a marriage with no illusions what so ever."

"What about Kara?"

He frowned darkly, "What about her?"

Rinoa grimaced, "How do you think she would feel living with a new stepmother, if only for 6 months?"

"You'd hardly be that!" he answered coldly.

"Legally I –"

"Stay away from my daughter, Rinoa," he warned softly.

What was he implying? "And how am I supposed to do that if we are all living at the Esthar home?"

"Find a way." He glared across the desk at her, "The less time she spends with you the more I'd like it. I have no wish for her to turn out as money-grasper."

"You'll regret this, Squall!" she spat.

"I already do." He conceded quietly. He pinched the bridge of his nose between two of his thumb and forefinger. "But I think you'd agree that we both have no choice in this matter."

Rinoa frowned down at the desk. Squall didn't want the family business in the hands of a man like his cousin and she certainly didn't want her debt in Seifer's hands. The things he could make her do under the pretence of it being her payment.

"Just answer yes or no, Rinoa." Squall said scathingly, his patience was wearing thin.

"Yes," she breathed out shakily, "We both know my answer has to be yes!"


	4. The Marriage

Long time coming I know! I have been away writing my own original work. I've tried to recapture the same voice and style of this story but it has been a few years! I apologise if it's different from what it should be.

* * *

**Marriage:**

There were just four people present at their wedding ten days later. Squall and Rinoa obviously, plus Cid Kramer and his wife that he had dragged along to make up their two witnesses.

The ceremony was over so fast that Rinoa almost didn't believe it was real, it felt like a rehearsal. She'd expected it to drag on and on, excruciatingly painful but her feelings of intense embarrassment were confined to the five short minutes.

She felt dazed and was more than a little thrown off when Squall complied with "You may kiss the bride." She'd expected a light brush of his lips – nothing that prolonged contact or deluded to any feelings – but instead he claimed her mouth fully and even pulled her into a tight embrace. It took her breath away and Rinoa knew momentary despair as she realised she was losing herself to him... Again!

Squall's eyes had glared down at her defiantly as he'd lifted his head away; looking indifferent to the intimacy they had just shared. It was enough for her to be able to meet his eyes with an icy glare. How could he stand there and feel nothing? Rinoa felt as if every nerve ending had come alive, tingling and pulsing electric surges through her body.

"Yes. Well," Cid Kramer started awkwardly, flustered, from his place beside them. "Perhaps we should be going...?"

Perhaps it was, Squall thought, his heart racing. _Damn it!_ He'd kissed Rinoa against his better judgement but he hadn't been able to deny his curiosity. He'd wondered what would happen. Would her silky raven hair and pale milky skin, long dark lashes and chocolate eyes still have an effect on him?

The answer was a resounding yes.

His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed as they focused on hers briefly before turning to face Cid. "I want to thank you and Edea for coming today," he smiled gratefully. "For obvious reasons we couldn't invite any of our friends. It wouldn't have been fair."

_Speak for yourself, _Rinoa frowned at point over his left shoulder, she for one could have done with a friend by her side today.

"Perhaps," Cid smiled at the pair of them, "I could treat you to lunch in celebration."

They moved out of the hall and into the reception as a group, Rinoa keeping two steps behind. "I..." she began before Squall cut across her, "I have to get back to work and I'm sure Rinoa has to move the rest of her stuff into the house."

"Another time then," Cid conceded lightly not catching the tone of Squall's voice. That last comment had been a direct attack on her, as usual. She knew what he thought of her signing over the lease of her apartment but she saw no reason to keep paying rent there when she knew she wasn't returning to it after six months.

"Now..." Squall broke off as he stepped outside to find three dozen cameras clicking and flashing in their faces. A confusing babble of questions was being thrown at him and Rinoa, running into each other and becoming indiscernible. "What the..." He scowled at the photographers and reporters before saying a hasty goodbye to the lawyer and his wife. Taking a firm grasp of Rinoa's arm he pulled her along with him towards his car, trying to ignore the crowd s following and yelling at him.

But it proved impossible to not hear them!

"How long have you and Miss Heartilly been involved?"

"Where are you going on honeymoon to?"

"Did Laguna know you were getting married before he died?"

"Miss Heartilly did..."

Squall had heard enough, he turned away from his car door Rinoa having already climbed in. "Her name is now Mrs Leonhart," he snapped coldly before getting behind the wheel. Starting the engine he tried to manoeuvre the car through the throng of press, absolutely furious.

"Don't look at me!" Rinoa protested from the back seat when she'd caught his gaze in the rear-view mirror. "As if I'd tell the press we were getting married!" But then she didn't think Squall would either. So who..? Then just as she reached a conclusion Squall growled, "Seifer!"

She nodded, yes it had to be him other than the lawyer and his wife he was the only one who knew and, knowing Seifer, he would think alerting the press would be a great idea of fun.

"How did he know we were getting married today?" Squall asked as the last of the reporters disappeared into the distance.

"Well... I didn't tell him. I wouldn't have thought you would either." She murmured distractedly, still recovering from the dazed feeling after the kiss.

"So much for keeping this quiet," he muttered grimly, "I can just see the headlines in tomorrow's papers. "Loire heirs marry!", "the bride wore cream..."

"Buttermilk," Rinoa corrected dryly.

"I'm a man, okay?" He replied irritably, "It just looks cream to me."

Rinoa looked down at her buttermilk wedding dress feeling slightly embarrassed that she had bothered, despite the dress's simple appearance. While she knew that the wedding was fake it was still a wedding and possibly the only wedding she'd ever have, after all there were no guarantees in the future. She felt annoyed that, after all the effort she'd made having actually taken ages to find and buy a wedding dress earlier in the week, Squall had just turned up in his usual shirt and trousers as though he'd come straight from work. Which, it turned out, he had.

"Just drop me off at the train station." She said flatly. "I can get a train home, no matter how ridiculous I might look." _Home?_ The reality of what they had just done was beginning to sink in. She could do with some time alone, away from Squall. She never would have thought she'd feel this way about their wedding. She'd imagined it as a formality, just something they had to get through.

Of course Squall had been married before, today had probably brought back a lot of bad memories for him... as well as adding new ones. It had all seemed so logical when he had made the arrangements. He was so cool, calculated, treating it as though it was a business meeting.

Now all she could think was that this sham of a wedding wasn't what he mother had envisioned for her or Rinoa herself. And those thoughts of her mother not being around to see her real wedding, when or if it ever happened, made her want to cry – not something she wanted Squall to bear witness to.

"I thought we could go for a celebratory drink before you leave." The even tenor of his voice betraying none of his annoyance.

"A drink?" she asked surprised, "Are you sure you have the time?" she added sarcastically.

What had she expected? That he take the whole day off of work so that they could go get married, be showered by confetti and good wishes followed by a meal with their friends?

He shook his head. The fewer people who knew about this the better as far as he was concerned. Although, admittedly, the reporters would probably take care of that.

"I can make the time." He replied dryly.

Rinoa looked up from her lap giving him a searching glance. Was he being nice? She couldn't imagine that, to her of all people. Or was there another motive for him to want to spend more time with her? He probably wanted to give her another lecture on staying away from Kara, she figured.

It had been five years since she'd spoken to Kara who was now seven. She'd seen her though, at a couple of family occasions so she knew that she was the image of Squall with her chestnut brown hair and icy blue eyes. But other that she didn't know anything about the little girl exempting of course that she grew up without a mother. That had to be hard on her.

Rinoa worried whether Squall's hatred of her would carry over to his daughter, she didn't want to take up the role of wicked step-mother. Although Squall had stated that she was to be involved as little as possible.

"Okay," she sighed, better to get it over and done with.

"Try to sound a little more enthusiastic," Squall taunted softly, "it is our wedding day."

"Don't remind me," she tonelessly replied having decided that showing no emotion was probably the best way to deal with Squall.

When the car rumbled to a stop a little while later she looked up alarmed. "Where are we?"

"I have a flat here from when I was a SeeD. Haven't gotten around to selling it on."

Rinoa blinked, confusion clouding her mind and causing her thoughts to tangle and twist together as she absently climbed out of the car. Out of the tangle came one strikingly clear thought. It was one thing to go for a drink with him, entirely another to have said drink in the confines of his empty flat; she'd rather a bar. "I don't think this is a good - " She didn't get to finish her protest, Squall's larger hand encased her own, tugging her with alongside him in a surprisingly gentle manner.

"It's fine Rinoa." He murmured a wry twist to his mouth. "I'm hardly going to jump you."

She blushed at the accusation in his tone. "I didn't think that!" She snapped, the anger lacing her words misdirected. "I was thinking more along the lines of one of us might kill the other! And I very much doubt I'd ring the authorities after!"

"Well of course not." His expression a picture of disbelief and contempt. "You can hardly ring the authorities dead."

If it wasn't for his obvious disdain for her etched deep and plain on his face she would have laughed. Instead she glared at the back of his shoulder. Her eyes fixating on the way the thin imitation leather pulled across his back as he unlocked the door.

She followed after him, stepping into the flat in trepidation. She felt self-conscious and cornered walking into his personal space like this. She knew for fact that even his father hadn't visited this place; he'd spoken of his regret a few times.

Rinoa glanced round at the small space, perfect for one. It was all white walls and glass surfaces. A black marble top work surface in the kitchen, a black sofa in the living room. The walls held no decoration, the floors no rugs. It was simple and modern and woefully neglected.

Her fingers itched to add decor, a painting here, a vase there. It didn't even need to change from the general theme, a black and white paining nailed to the far wall would be fine, and a crystal clear vase in the corner by the corridor leading to what she assumed was his room and bathroom.

She skirted the glass top dining table, making her way over to the sofa she had spotted, not that that was a hard feat with the little to no furniture.

Squall passed her a glass of brandy after she had tucked her skirts carefully beneath her.

"You come here often." She said even as she rubbed at her bare arms, wishing the flat was at least ten degrees warmer.

"Yeah. I prefer it here." He took a seat next to her.

"Then why not live her and not at Laguna's home? It doesn't make much sense."

"It makes perfect sense." He raised his eyebrow at her. "There's no room for Kara here."

"Oh...Shame." She finished awkwardly. Why had he brought them into this situation? Why was she currently sitting alone in his company, in his flat? It seemed insane. It would have been good if he and Kara had lived here, there wouldn't have been room for her too. Maybe this clause would never have come to be.

"You're not to talk to Kara." His voice quiet but firm cut the silence, leaving the awkwardness intact. "She has nothing to do with this messed up sham, us, you." His brandy swirled in his glass in time with his agitated motions.

"Alright!" She attempted to swirl her own brandy in much the same way, the way Laguna had always done when sitting in his study of an evening. The brown liquid sloshed up the small glass. With a startled gasp she held it out, away from her buttermilk skirts. "Hyne."

Ignoring Squall's amused, and none too friendly, snort beside her she stood, downing the drink in one, feeling her throat burn. Her face contorted into a grimace as she fought her reflex; throwing up in front of Squall was far from the top of her list.

He had to admit, he was grudgingly impressed when he watched her chug the brandy, although admittedly he couldn't see her face. She stayed with her back facing him. His eyes traced over the pale skin of her neck, relishing in the fact that her hair tied up revealed the milky skin. Down, down his eyes went, following the curve of her spine until her figure was swallowed by the knee-length skirts of her wedding dress.

He hated that dress. It turned his mood sour the moment he set eyes on her; she'd tried to tell him she wasn't enjoying the fact that she was marrying him and she turned up in a bloody wedding dress. But even as he despised the sight of her then, his guts wrenched, twisting in a hormonal ball. Hyne, if she didn't look good!

Rinoa turned to face him then, he didn't bother to hide how much he wanted to her, and he knew she saw it. Knew by the way her eyes widened a deer in the headlights. A flush adorning her cheeks, flattering and all the more appealing still, how much he loved her pale skin.

Squall stood abruptly, depositing his glass on the end table. He pulled her close to him, his head lowering as his mouth claimed hers. The native taste of her mingled with the cherry brandy, the heady mix as distracting as the hot, smooth surfaces of her reciprocating mouth.

At that moment he wanted Rinoa with a driving need he had no intention of curbing. She was his wife now; he intended to touch every glorious inch of her.

Rinoa barely had the time to wonder at what Squall was doing when he's mouth crashed down on hers. Before the thought had even finished she had been distracted by the hunger of his mouth searching hers. His tongue caressed lightly along her bottom lip before surging into her mouth, a sensuous rhythm that set her body on fire, an ache growing between her thighs.

She groaned a low murmur of approval as his hand moved up to capture her breast through her dress. His other hand wrapped around the back of her neck, fingers tangling and tugging at her raven locks, pulling her head back and deepening the access to her mouth.

His warm hand moved again, his fingers caressing the swell of her breast above the cream material of her dress; vaguely he wondered what she had called it again. He tugged at the material, prying it away from her.

She gasped as the tight bodice of her dress slipped free, falling to her waist and leaving her flimsy bra as the only barrier between her breasts and the warm caress of his hand.

Squall dragged his mouth from hers, his lips trailing a fiery path along her jaw to her ear and down the column of her neck. The searing heat of his mouth against the flesh of her bosom, his hands burning through her skin at her waist and neck, had her losing her head; her hand gripped the hair at the back of his hair, her other hand fisted in his shirt.

She should stop him, she knew now in her maturity where this was heading. This was no love declaration. But, even with that knowledge, there was no way she could fight the emotions Squall was stirring up in her.

His tongue flicked against her, her back arched instinctively into his touch. She clung to him weakly, lost in the unexpected assault on her senses. The ache in her growing unbearably.

Her hand loosened in his hair, her grip weakening. Squall took the opportunity to move away from her, lifting his head to meet her eyes. The bad blood of the last five years was swept away in that single moment of mutual desire.

Rinoa didn't want the pleasure to stop. She couldn't stop it. She followed him willingly to his bedroom, stopping just inside the door.

He reached behind her to shut the door, his chest pressed up close to hers, arms tugging her closer still after it was shut. Once they were beside the bed he stepped back, his eyes locking on the smooth skin on her stomach, knowing he felt as soft as it looked.

"Take off your bra," he murmured barely above a whisper. He slipped out of his jacket and kicked off his shoes, his eyes still on her, before tugging at her dress. He pulled it over her hips, letting the material fall and pool at her feet. His eyes trailing its path, sliding down her legs; his hands following after until he knelt before her. He tugged her feet free of her shoes. His hands slide back up over her knees as he pressed hot kisses to her thigh.

Rinoa wasn't eighteen anymore but at the mature age of twenty-three, although she was still not that experienced, Squall noted but she was more than enough for him.

He stood, pushing at her shoulders, tipping her balance. She fell onto the cold, unused sheets, his body crashing down on top of her, still dressed in his shirt and trousers. Her fingers fumbled with his shirt, pulling it free of his trousers, seeking the skin of his stomach that she had touched once before, a long time ago.

Squall's lips met the bare flesh of her breast and she gasped, leaning into him. Her body silently begging for what would drive her completely over the edge. Squall had no doubts that she wouldn't, and none at all that he wouldn't be joining her this time. He wouldn't deny himself the pleasure this time. I wouldn't let her go until he had taken her in every way, given her every pleasure in his power to do so.

His lips parted, taking the hard top of her breast into her mouth, revelling in the shudder convulsing Rinoa's body.

His fingers moved from her stomach, slipping lower to push at her knickers. Moving them aside his fingers sought the centre of her convulsions, increasing them tenfold as his fingers hit the target. He stroked her, urging her to a deeper and stronger climax.

Her shuddering release came to an end as he pushed himself to his knees, unzipping his trousers. She leant up, fingers slipping on his shirt buttons.

Rinoa felt a nervous fluttering in her stomach, a feeling she tried to dismiss. She was a woman now, no longer a besotted clueless teenager, and she expected nothing more from Squall than what he was offering: physical pleasure. A pleasure she planned on returning.

She held his gaze with hers as she slowly slipped his unbuttoned shirt from his shoulders, her hands sliding across his hot skin in the process. They trailed down his chest and across his stomach. She heard his breath catch as one of her hands settled on the fastening of his trousers. That breath was released in a sharp hiss when her hand dipped into his open zipper and moved against him. Pure instinct governed her actions as she began to pleasure him as he had her.

His hands tangled in her hair. "No, Rinoa." he gasped. "I want to be inside you." He pushed her back on to the covers, kicking himself free of his clothes and rolling on to his back; beneath her.

She sat up, her hands pressing against his stomach, bracing herself. She hovered over him. His eyes looking up at her were a darker blue than she had ever seen them. She stared back momentarily stupefied until his hips pressed up against her and he slowly lowered her onto the long length of him. His hands sliding up her sides, caressing her breasts, stroking her stomach as she rocked in time to his thrusts.

When he could hold back no longer he hands dropped to her hips, pressing her against him harder, faster until it spiralled out of his control. His shuddering eased off, his hips slowing to a stop and Rinoa collapsed, exhausted, against him.

With her cheek pressed against his chest, their skin slick with sweat, she waited. She could feel herself tensing. She knew it was coming; she waited for his words of scorn, mockery, and blame. She waited for him to start blaming her for what had happened despite that it had been him that had started anything.

She waited but instead there was only the sound of their ragged breathing, the fast beating of his heart beneath her cheek and the tick of an alarm clock in the otherwise silent room. Their breathing steadied before settling into normality.

Why wasn't he saying anything? Where were the accusations? The blame?

"It looks, Rinoa." Squall finally spoke, breaking the silence like a sudden bullet in the night. His voice was self-deprecating. "Like we'll be getting a divorce when the time comes rather than an annulment."

She raised her head from his sticky chest, her tangled hair slipping from her shoulder to tickle his chest. He brushed it back over her shoulder, irritably. "What do you mean?" she asked, frowning down at him. She had been waiting for a scathing remark; this wasn't at all what she was expecting.

He smiled up at her, a wolfish grin. "Well, now that I have you for a wife, I intend to _have_ you." He stretched out his arm, flexing the shoulder that proudly displayed her tooth marks.

In other words, now that they were married, Squall intended to use her for recreational sex. While it did not sound all that unappealing, she bristled at the blow to her dignity and pride.

She was not going to whore herself out to him! No way in hell.


End file.
